Updates Galore and More!

Big Update: I met Mark Noce, my August Featured Follower this month, at his book event. Mark and Between Two Firesgathered a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters at the Burlingame Library.
Mark’s so personable, and he has a lovely wife, who I also had a chance to meet.

Congrats again to Mark on his book which already has an audio version and a sequel in the wings!

I’m doing a Giveaway on Goodreads for Sign of the Green Dragon. It ends Sept. 14, so if you’d like a paperback copy of my book, don’t delay. Enter today. (Pat Hatt and poet, Yvonne now have competition in the rhyme department. )

Donna Galanti and I were on Secret Files of DMS Character Book Club Friday. Her main character, Joshua interviewed Sam, my guy in Dragon. Next month we’ll do it again with Sam interviewing Joshua. Great idea from Jess and Steph. If you’d like to see what we were up to, HERE’s the link.

I have a new Featured Follower in September! Great writer. Great book, so hope you’ll come by and meet that writer the first Monday of next month. There will be a signed hardcopy giveaway this month! See? This writer’s very cool.

I’m offering some short stories on my Email Connect as well as more things I’ve learned about marketing books. This month I’m into Facebook Ads+. Next month, I’m tackling ways to request reviews. Then, in October, I’m going to email about Goodreads. These are all great tools for writers, and I’m hoping my experience will help others. Also I’m always looking for feedback from those with more experience than I have. So sign up and let’s talk.

How cool that you got to meet Mark! I never hear about any book signings around where I live, but maybe I'm not listening in the right places. I should check out local libraries now and then since book stores near me are a thing of the past.

Isn't it so amazing when you get to meet an internet friend in person? I'm always a little nervous about those meetings (but then, I've always been socially awkward). But experience shows they usually go smoothly, and I'm getting better at expecting the best! People on the internet are not always who they appear to be, but writers usually are!

I think we're the most honest people in print. Somehow we can't hide who we are because of what we do. I'm not sure that even makes sense now that I read it. But I guess the writer seeks the truth and wrestles it on the page. You can't do that a lot and not reveal who you are.

You've been busy, in a good way. You stay busy. But like they say, when you need something done, give it to a busy person and she'll get it done (or something like that). How awesome that you got to meet Mark and his wife in person. I'm just now getting to know him from the blogs I've visited. His book sounds amazing and I know it will do tremendously well. I'm going to pop over and check out the Halloween blog hop now.

How cool to meet a fellow writer in person. I love doing that, but I'm a long way from most of the UK based writers I know. One day I'm going to go to the middle of the country and invite everyone to join me 🙂

Now that summer's on the run and autumn is on the way, I can feel the pace picking up, can't you? Being crazy busy gets the creative juices flowing.

I am happy to see so many exciting new developments in your life including the opportunity to meet Mark Noce. It's a delightful exercise to have fictional characters interview each other.

If you will allow me to drift off topic, I read your About the Author page and was amazed to see how many places you have lived. You were born in Modesto, the setting of American Graffiti (although actual filming took place in Petaluma). Any specific memories related to the movie or its production? You refer to yourself as a Valley Girl. Just curious, do you have any specific memories of the Valley Girl craze touched off by Frank Zappa and his daughter Moon Unit Zappa and their hit single "Valley Girl" or memories related to the hit Nicholas Cage movie inspired by the song?

I was in Modesto about a week, so I can't claim any fame from that film. However, my dad was born in Petaluma–the dairy capital of CA and where all the Swiss-Italian dairy farmers seemed to migrate in the early 1900's. I do remember AG. And I do remember the 80s Valley Girl craze. I was much older by then and knew better than to talk that way, but it was a fun connection. My kids loved Zappa, so yes I shared my memories–actually my mom's memories as told to me–about Modesto. Thanks for the very interesting questions! Lovely to have your visits. I enjoy your blog so much.